HIS BABY TO BEAR - TWENTY FIVE

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y F I V E

The Arctics' hideout must have received word of their compatriots' untimely demise. At least, that was the only explanation Jerome could offer for the flurry of activity there. They were obviously packing to leave, or at least the few men who remained.

Jerome wasn't naive enough to believe that they would be able to capture all of the wolves who had come for them at Libby's house. There were always soldiers who could read a losing situation and get the hell out of there. In fact, Tim had pinpointed the location of the makeshift headquarters thanks to one of them relaying a message to their command.

It had been a difficult task persuading Libby to stay behind. Reason didn't work with a woman desperate to reclaim her child, and Jerome had to assume his own injury wasn't helping matters. Only Mitch, Tim, and Alvin had escaped the battle unscathed—or nearly so. Jordan had two broken ribs and had taken two bullets; Jerome was scratched up and certain that he had at least a small fracture, if not an all-out break, in his foot; and Tom had been far too close to a set of wolf jaws, which had left their marks all over him.

But none of them would be deterred. Jordan was already in position, and Tom was left behind with Alvin to keep an eye on Libby. They'd now spread out around the perimeter of the compound, each taking their own corner.

"I see two trucks pulling away. I believe that just leaves two Jeeps behind, and the kid is still in the compound. "I saw him through one of the windows," Jordan said, his voice a little strained.

It's no surprise that lying down on top of broken ribs wasn't a pleasant experience.

"Give the trucks a few minutes to go further out, and then we'll go for the Jeeps when they start loading them up," Jerome said, his voice emotionless.

Of course, a million thoughts raced through his mind. Whether Reid Andrew would be okay, if they could ever recover from this with Libby, if he was even the right man for her at all, given the danger that came with being around him. Of course, he had to admit that, for once, it wasn't him who was to blame for the mess. It was the woman in his life who drew more bullets than he did.

It was certainly unfamiliar to Jerome. A feeling he didn't particularly enjoy at the time.

Minutes felt like hours as Jerome moved closer to the compound, which was hidden about an hour outside of Batangas. It was getting close to dawn, and the sky was beginning to glow with reds and yellows, threatening to envelop them. He mentally counted his steps, forcing himself to slow down as he crept hunched over through the underbrush.

By the time he was close enough to the small, squat buildings where The Arctics had hidden, he could estimate that the trucks were too far away to come in for assistance. Jerome doubted he could have taken another fight like the one in Libby's attic, so it was just their luck that their timing worked out so well.

"Move in," he said, as he saw the front door open and two men march out, both starkly blonde and appearing to have stepped out of the same damn time machine.

Jerome jumped over the fence that stood between him and the shadow of one of the Jeeps, and he heard a faint rustling to his left. He knew it had to be Tim, and by the time they were both sprinting toward the Jeeps, his suspicion was confirmed. Tim's face wore the same battle mask he always wore—completely impassive and expressionless, as if he was at his most Zen when surrounded by blood, guts, and gore.

Two more men appeared through the doorway, one of whom was holding Reid Andrew. Jerome saw red the moment the black-clad bastard appeared, and for a split second he couldn't tell if his roar or the sound of gunfire around him was louder.

Jordan had easily dropped the guy next to the man carrying Reid Andrew from his hidden nest. Tim and Mitch went after the two who'd come out first, while Jerome went after the fucker who was holding Reid Andrew. He almost tackled him, getting to him before he could draw his sidearm. Grabbing Reid Andrew with one hand, he shoved the butt of his rifle into the man's face, causing it to crumple inward like some sick twisted nightmare.

The wolf screamed in agony as Jerome lifted one combat-booted foot and slammed it into his face, or what was left of it, once more. The body slumped against the doorframe with a satisfying groan.

"Come on in!" " Jerome called, allowing Mitch and Tim to pass as he took a position behind one of the Jeeps, Reid Andrew by his side. "Don't be concerned, little man. "You'll be fine," he assured Reid Andrew, who was stunned and shaken by everything going on around him.

A couple more dull shots rang out in the complex, tense Jerome. But he had enough faith in his men to keep his cool. Mitch appeared in the doorway a few minutes later, triumphantly grinning, with Tim trailing behind him.

"All clear," Mitch yelled, his eyes wide with delight.

There's nothing like the heat of battle to get the heart racing.

"Let's get in the Jeep and make tracks before anyone misses these guys," Jerome said, searching for keys on one of the bodies on the ground.

He had no remorse. Under different circumstances, he could have been bleeding on the ground, never having had the opportunity to fight back. But that was life, and he'd won this time. There was no time to think about how the men at his feet could have had very similar training to him and stories he wouldn't have minded hearing over a couple of glasses of beer.

Jerome handed Tim the keys, and the three of them, along with Reid Andrew, climbed into the Jeep.

"We're going to pick you up, Jordan." "Limp down, you fucker," Mitch said into the comm, receiving a grumbling growl in response that made the other men laugh.

Jerome sat in the back of the Jeep, driving toward an inevitable shitstorm of trouble with The Firm, and he didn't regret a single thing he'd done that day. It had all been worth it to look into Reid Andrew's pale blue eyes, which were so similar to his own.

Reid Andrew raised his hands, his brow furrowed slightly to make him appear more serious. “Mama! " he said, grinning at Jerome.

"Don't be concerned, little man. We'll go find your mother right away."

He hugged the boy tightly and felt his heart rate slow for the first time in days. Whatever happened next, he'd at least gotten his son back. In comparison, being thoroughly reamed by The Firm seemed like a much smaller problem.